02:25 PM EST on Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Frank the moderator: Tom Curran will be stopping by at noon today for a Pats Chat. Drop a question, comment or random thought and come on back.

Frank the moderator: UPDATE. Tom Curran will be online at 1 p.m. this afternoon, rather than noontime.
Thanks.

Tom Curran: Hey guys....was just out at practice before they chased off ...sorry I'm tardy (I don't FEEL tardy)

lasthurrah: Hey Tom...I'm actually from Somerset MA but work in Boston - and a BIG PATS fan! I really enjoy your work at ProJo and on WEEI.
Here are my questions and concerns - I am concerned that the Pats efforts to "stop the run" will open them up to play action and I would expect Shanahan to do this...Do you expect Belichick's defensive scheme to somewhat one dimensional against the run ? Can they stop the run without creating exposure to play action? How can they do this? I think Plummer does a pretty good job of play action...Should I be concerned?
Tom Curran: Hello, Hurrah (one of my favorite books, by the way...)... You've pretty much encapsulated the problem for the Patriots defense. The Broncos run that stretch play with Bell and Anderson effectively and if the Pats can't stop it with just their front-seven, they'll need to commit safety help and rect more quickly when they read run. That's when the Broncos will go play action and maybe run a bootleg throw downfield off of it. It's critical that the Patriots be good on first down defense -- more so that in most games because if Denver has the run-pass option on second and third down consistently, that's a bad deal.

talk: Tom -- Is Jack Plummer really that good? I think if the Pats D can eye on him and contain him, they'll be able to stop him.
Then if they can stop the run, and contain the wide receivers the game would go their way. Easy, right?
Tom Curran: Hi Talk, Yeah, JAKE Plummer is a top 10 or 12 quarterback -- and rising. It starts with stopping the Denver run, though. The Broncos ran for 2,539 yards this year and are No. 1 in the NFL on the ground. As good as the Pats have been stopping the run of late, they haven't seen an attack of this caliber. As far as containing the Broncos wide receivers, the next time they contain Rod Smith will be the first time. He's caught 50 balls for 785 yards against the Patriots in 10 career games.

LarryLegend: How could Czar Belichick force Our Doug into making a mockery of the National Football League with that embarassing drop kick?
Tom Curran: Unfeeling. Hurtful. Insensitive. The game may never recover.

talk: The Pats as underdog in a playoffs game if very attractive. Should I gamble and take the Pats +3 (I think they'll win outright.)
Tom Curran: I'll NOT be responsible for Talk's wagers. And I don't like the way you're leaning anyway.

RBooth9: The Patriots' defense was great last weekend, but their offense was less-than-spectacular. Do you think Corey Dillon will need a big game for the Patriots to beat the Broncos in Mile High Stadium?
Tom Curran: They need to get something going on the ground because the last time these teams met, the Broncos went hard after Tom Brady knowing the Pats had no run threat with Patrick Pass and Amos Zereoue in the backfield. There's been little indication the Pats are going to have a real solid game on the ground, however.

fanofpats: Hi, Tom. Any irrelevant questions this week? I *love* them!
Tom Curran: Hey, FanO'Pats...I don't think I'll have them this week because we usually run them in our Sunday Patriots package and we have the game instead. I like doing the questions though. They're a lot of fun. And I'm glad you enjoy them too.

AllWorld81: That run-and-catch by Benjamin Watson may have been the best by a tight end I've ever seen . . . and as you can see by my screen name, I've had a favorite tight end for a lot of years. Did you ever see anything like it? Do you think we can expect more of that sort of thing from Watson in the future?
Tom Curran: That catch-and-run encapsulated why the Patriots drafted Watson because it showed all three of his strengths -- pass-catching, strength, balance and speed. It is absolutely one of the best catch-and-runs I've seen. The Ben Coates 84-yarder in 1996 against the Dolphins was also worth remembering.

SteelMan: Forget the Pats. What about my team? Think they can win at Indy Sunday? And if so, will the third time be a charm against the Pats (if New England gets past Denver)?
Tom Curran: I do think they can win at Indy. Willie Parker and Bettis have to have big games and Roethlisberger CANNOT give extra possessions to Manning with turnovers but I don't see the Steelers as being dead. If Indy gets above 25 points, though, the Steelers are dead. Same goes for New England (if they get there) if the game's played in the 30s. As for Pitt beating the Pats, I wouldn't count on that happening in Foxboro which is where it would be.

lasthurrah: Thanks Tom...RE: Stopping run...Then is it possible that we will see the Pats in some 4-3 alignment - with Teddy and Vrabel and McGinest? - Particularly if they are having problems with the run...They have been dominant in a 4-3 at times (last year)?
Tom Curran: They do trainsition back and forth quite a bit depending on situations and if they feel they have to, I'm sure they'll slide a fourth-defensive lineman in there. But having guys with the ability to drop and cover tight ends while playing off the line is a big concern with a play--action team like Denver.

bbfan: How about Jim Rice for the Hall of Fame? (I know, not a Pats question, but the announcement is 12 minutes away and I can't wait!)
Tom Curran: I really, really hope so. He was my favorite athlete when I first began following sports in 1977 and 78. It'd be great news if he made it.

RBooth9: Tom Brady has a lot of targets -- that's evident with his 4,000+ yard passing year without one receiver with 1,000 receiving yards -- but who do you think is his favorite? Ben Watson seems to be making his name, while Deion Branch and David Givens are also near the top.
Tom Curran: It's Branch. Then I think it's Faulk. Then I believe it's Givens and Watson. He always has said he has no favorites but he seems to be hinting more regularly about Branch being the team's No. 1.

sportsleader: Am I right to assume, off what you've said, that you're going with Denver and Pittsburgh this weekend? How about in the NFC?
Tom Curran: I think Denver and Indy will advance. I think Pitt can hang around but I don't see them winning anything that gets past the low 20s.

bbfan: I like the Pats, too. What about Tedy Bruschi? Any indication he'll play Saturday night?
Tom Curran: Well, he was good enough to dress last week and he was out at practice today so my suspicion is that he'll be ready to go.

qbmate: The football fan in my house says I should ask you:
Is this latest generation of Denver offensive players upholding the older guard's reputation for, ah, dirty tricks? What should the Pats' defense look out for?
Tom Curran: The Pats defense should keep their eyes open for the dreaded cutblock, which happens when an offensive lineman tries to cut the legs out from under a defensive player by diving at his knees. It's not illegal and it is effective.

fbfan: What aspect of the Broncos' game do you think will give the Pats the most trouble?
Tom Curran: The Broncos run defense will get the Pats one-dimensional, I think. Then you have to watch blitzers. On offense, I think the mobility of Plummer and ability of their line will give him time to hurt a Pats secondary which hasn't been challenged adequately .

Tom Curran: Thanks for all the questions, folks. Enjoy the game and see you at our next chat.